Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) will revitalize integrated health services posts (Posyandu) to expedite reduction in the number of stunting cases in accordance with the home affairs minister's directive.

"The home affairs minister has urged the BKKBN to revitalize posyandu. Hence, we are preparing for the revitalization of posyandu to become holistic and integrated," BKKBN Head Hasto Wardoyo stated during an online press conference monitored here, Tuesday.

In a bid to revitalize posyandu, Wardoyo noted that this week, the BKKBN had recruited 600 thousand personnel to form 200 thousand family companion teams.

According to the BKKBN head, the family companion teams will undergo a two-month training from October to November 2021.

"These are areas where we have to expedite matters, so that later in early 2022, we only have to pursue the 14-percent figure (stunting cases)," the BKKBN head stated.

Wardoyo explained that the government will prepare a regulation on posyandu activities and the appointment of midwives in each village to support expediting efforts to reduce stunting cases.

Related news: Every village must have midwife to help stunting handling: BKKBN

"We have also met with the health minister for us to focus on activities that have high prospects jointly," he stated.

"We also agree with the Health Minister's regulation that necessities every village to have at least one midwife. This means the midwife is an extension of the government, which will facilitate and accelerate family assistance in reducing cases of stunting," he remarked.

The Indonesian government is striving to reduce the number of cases of stunting, from around 27 percent in 2019 to 14 percent in 2024.

Earlier, the BKKBN head had spoken that his side will implement the National Action Plan to accelerate reduction in the number of cases of stunting through an approach centered on families at risk of stunted growth.

The approach encompasses providing data on families at risk of stunting, assisting families at risk of stunting, assisting prospective brides or prospective couples of childbearing age, surveillance of families at risk of stunting, and auditing of stunting cases.
Related news: Collaboration between govt, parties key to handling stunting
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Translator: Hreeloita Dharma, Raka Adji
Editor: Suharto
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